Big Sister WCW Spotlight: Meet Stephanie Thompson
This week, our Big Sister WCW Spotlight celebrates Stephanie Thompson, Engineering Manager at General Motors of Canada, whose career reflects leadership, resilience, and a strong commitment to supporting women in STEM.
Stephanie leads a team of engineers in GM’s St. Catharines Engine Assembly department, where she helps deliver high-quality engines safely, on time, and at the right cost. Her role includes providing technical direction, supporting problem-solving on the production floor, coaching engineers, and driving continuous improvement across operations.
Her interest in STEM began with a curiosity about how things work and how ideas can become something useful. A pivotal moment came in high school when her chemistry teacher selected her for a nuclear engineering shadow opportunity at Chalk River. Seeing engineering applied to real-world problems made the field feel tangible and exciting.
Stephanie’s journey has also been shaped by seeing women leave STEM because of limited support, role models, and inclusive spaces. That experience strengthened her commitment not only to stay in STEM, but to help make the path more welcoming for others.
She credits mentors, sponsors, community leaders, and collective action with helping her grow. That support also inspired her to create STEM by Steph, where she mentors students, young engineers, and tradespeople in non-traditional spaces.
Big Sister Advice
Her Big Sister advice is clear: do not take yourself out of the game. Invest in your growth, ask questions, seek mentors and sponsors, and remember that you are qualified to be in the room.
Read Stephanie's Full Big Sister WCW Feature
There is more to Stephanie’s story. In the full Big Sister WCW Spotlight booklet, she shares more about her STEM journey, the challenges she has navigated, the lessons that shaped her leadership, and her advice for girls and early-career women in STEM.
Download the free booklet below to read the full feature and save Stephanie’s Big Sister advice for later.
Ready to Move Your STEM Career Forward?
LaunchHer Mentorship Program is a 12-week virtual cohort for early-career women in STEM in Canada, designed to help you build the career strategy, confidence, and connections you need to move forward.
Applications are now open.
